SOARING AWAY

Robin nudged Meera, “So then we can consider the matter settled; right?”

“What is supposed to be settled, Robin?”

“Come on Meera, we discussed sending Ratan to Boarding School at Ooty....”

“Oh ya, he is to be sent away before we tie the knot! I do remember…. I also remember refusing to send away my son- just so he will be out of the way.”

Meera sighed and added, “There is no change in my stand, Robin. Ratan stays. You simply have to learn to accept him.”

***

A few days later.

 “Wow, Mom, the kites are beautiful!”

It was kite flying season and the three, Meera, Robin and Ratan were out on the terrace, along with many others, armed with beautifully crafted kites of various designs. Each one of them was flying a kite, watching it soar into the air. There was the usual friendly competition as to whose kite would soar highest.

During this joyous occasion, again Robin sidled to Meera and whispered, “How about letting him go, darling? We can then plan our wedding.”

Ratan, hearing only the words ‘letting go,’ asked in excitement, “Shall I let go of the string, mom? Then we can see how far it goes.”

“No, sonnie,” said Meera, turning slowly towards Robin. Then in a sudden movement, she snatched the kite string from the stunned Robin’s hand and releasing it, said,

 “We will let this one go.”

Robin walked away quietly as the kite soared into the Heavens.

  

                                       --------------------------------------------------

LOON'S BOON

God was struck with Wonderment

As none under His Firmament

Had ever asked for a boon,

Such as wanted by Mr.Loon.

“Evolution, O Lord, I do hail;

But please return me my tail.

For, every time I see a monkey,

I turn green with envy.

Oh, Things I could happily do

If only I had a tail too;

Hang upside down from a tree

And read a book, swinging free!

Hold a cell phone or what I like,

With both hands still on the bike;

Drink coffee, tea or whatever,

Even while holding the newspaper.”

Hearing this from Mr. Loon,

God fell in a great swoon.

When last we heard-

Mr Loon

Is still awaiting his boon,

Hoping God will recover soon.

----------------------------

BEWARE OF FLYING INNER WEAR!

Soman was happy. The young man was headed home for a brief holiday after a long time. As always, he was well dressed and took pride in his appearance. While walking home from the bus stop, he was day dreaming about how he would spend his valuable four days- the friends he was going to meet, the movies he would see and so on.

For reaching home, he had to walk by an apartment complex. A strong wind which was blowing that time dislodged a man’s underwear that was hung up for drying in the balcony of one of the apartments.

This piece of flying dress item landed securely on the unsuspecting Soman’s handsome shoulder. The young man who was blissfully unaware of the garment which now adorned his shoulder, walked home merrily.

Meanwhile, Soman’s large joint family was agog with excitement at the prospect of his coming. Meena, the younger sister was teasing her kid brother saying how Somananna was always very well dressed, “…unlike you untidy chap, Varun!”

Soman’s grandma, his paatti-wheelchair bound, though delighted at Soman’s coming, was worried about that day’s star forecast which said she should beware of missiles. Though enemy missiles were quite far away to cause concern, nevertheless she worried.

“Here comes our brother, Somananna!” shouted Varun in joy and rushed to greet him. As Soman entered triumphantly like a war hero, Varun and Meena took a look at him and started rolling in laughter. “What is it?” asked Soman annoyed at the sudden loss of heroism.

“Is it the latest fashion, brother!” asked Varun, giggling helplessly.

“Do you always carry...er… a spare like this, like a scooter tyre?” asked Meena .

“What’s all the uproar about?” asked paatti,wheeling her chair to the entrance, at the exact instant that Soman discovered his shoulder wear and threw it in anger and disgust. The much thrown underwear now landed on paatti’s face, causing another uproarious session.

Meena was rolling on the ground in laughter squealing, “Paatti’s forecast about the missile hit has come true!”

Paatti, though initially flustered, laughed aloud and said, “Soman’s forecast is also fulfilled-it was written against his star that he would have to shoulder an unusual responsibility today.”

The Soman household was thus plunged in sunshine and laughter by his arrival.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

HELL OF A PROBLEM

The CEO of  Hell was worried,

“Oh, oh! My fires are getting weaker!

If this goes on, how do I get on

With  the business of roasting my clients?”

Reluctantly, he approached the Earthlings

-His biggest client base,

And asked for a few pipefuls of Energy

To tide over his difficulties.

But Ah! The super smart Earthlings would have none of it,

But gave him a lecture instead;

On Upgradation
And Energy Conservation

And Environment Management

And Carbon credits… and so on.

Finally, rejecting the Chief’s plea,

They offered instead to deploy

Energy experts- on payment basis,of course!

The CEO of hell then rose up angrily to his full height;

Taking a deep breath, he said, “Save your lectures, Earthlings!

-Reason for the fuel shortage is the inordinate increase

In the number of rascals you have been dispatching down there;
-much higher than the installed capacity.”

Then with a royal shrug of his hellular shoulders,

The Chief added in a spine chilling tone,

“The choice is yours:  give me more energy,

Else I will send them right back to you-unroasted.”

---------------------------------------------